The Irish standard., 1887-02-05
THE WORK OF POPE LEO XIII.
Prepa,ations for the Celebration Of ths
Sovereign Pontif's Golden Jubilee
Going on Throughout
THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE.
Rev. Bernard O'Reilly Advises the Oatho-
lies Of the United States 20 Make
a Move in the Matter.

GLENGAE1FF, January Turning
ones eyes away from tl9ls anxieties and
perplexlties of the wurld. of politics at
the opening of the new year, one finds
relief in the sincerity and enthusiasm
with which the Catholic peoples of Eu-
rope are preparing to celebrate the Col
den Jubilee Of the present Pope, Leo
XIII.
Joachim Pecci was ordained priest by
the then Cardinal Vicar Of Rome, Car.
dinal Charles Odercalchi, in the private
chapel Of the Vicariate Palace, on De-
cember 81, 1887. Thus the iiftieth ami
versary Of this ordination. Leo XIII. IS
Golden Jubilee of Priesthood, falling
on the very last day of the present year,
the whole Of it is 10 be devoted by the
Catholic world to the celebration of the
Nozze d'Oro, or Golden Wedding" of
the common spiritual parent Of 100000,
600 Christians.
The twenty fifth and fftieth anniver-
saries OF ordination have always in the
Catholic Church been attended with
special and touching solemnities. A.
priest who has run his race Of twenty
five years OF faithful service and labori-
GUS devotion to his flock, who has min
istered at the altar Of God with un-
stained hands during quarter Of a con-
tury, has a right TO the love, the graft
tude, and the veneration Of his people.
But when his miuistrations, his self
sacrificing labors ami services come to
cover an entire half century, bringing
the priest and toiIer within the shadow
of eighty years, there is a more special
reason for making the half century of
priesthood u day Of JOY and congrat,1la-
ton.
In the case of hi1n who is Christ's
Vicar augi Chief Shepherd over,the Re.
dee1nel's widespread flock. there is a
ftnessthat the whole year within which
the anniversary falls should be a year
of Jubilee, so that the children of the
common Father may appaoach him in
turn, AMI bring him from every land
under the sun the homage of their ven
Grafton and love.
The year ,S75, within which fell the
fiftieth anniv e;rsary Of PiGs IX's conse
Grafton as Bishop, was made memorable
by the extraordinary concourse of pill
grims from both hemispheres in Rome.
and by the unparalleled demonstrations
of affection which were bestowed ON
the venerable Fontiff, then SO near the
end Of his eventful ana glorious Ca
reer.
Imay now, perhaps, be permitted to
speak more particularly Of the doings Of
his successor, Leo XIII, whose life I
have been carefully studying. Joachim
Pecci became Bishop of Perugia the
very sane year (1S46) that Plus TX. as
cended the Papai chair. The Bishop of
Perugia was only in his thirty-sxth
year, and tire ninth of his priesthood.
In Perugia he remained during the
long Pontificate Of the former, showing
himself as great a Bishop as he has
since proved himself a great Pope. 1t
is not merely since he succeeded to Plus
TX. that J oaehim Peeei has been known
to his brother Bishops and the people
of Italy as one of the most enlightened
churchmen, one OF the most sanity
pastors, one Of the most eloquent aud
courageous teachers of Gods word that
the Church has possessed for centuries
The splendid career of Joachim Peccl
as Bishop of Perugia. aud the many
glorious writings which issued from his
unwearied pen during the thirtY-two
wears OF Plus TX. s reign, would suffice
to place him on a par with an Ambrose
and All Athanasius. But no less praise
is due to him for his unceasing labors III
behalf of education-of education for
all classes without distinction-and for
their thorough religious instruction.
That he was truly the father Of his peo-
ple the Perugians still gratefully attest.
Nor is there on record Il m)re illus
trious example than his Of q life spent
in defending his flock from che inroads
of revolutionary impiety and immoral
ity, or OF more heroic courage in pro.
claiming the truth of Christ in the face
OF it's revlers, and in withstanding the
attacks Of the Piedmontese OH his cler-
gy, on freedom Of conscience, and the
institutions Of the Christian family.
The very teachings which the civil
lied world listened to with so much re-
spect during the last nine ye ,rs are only
the repetition or the continuation of the
lessons delivered from the Episcopal
chair of Perugia.
It is. therefore. the long, long shining
and bene6cent career Of good and a
great priest that the Catholic world has
begun to honor with the dawn of 1887,